It’s great to be back in the Legislature and to see friends and colleagues again.

Unfortunately, there were some events during the legislative break that left me very concerned.

While many across the province were celebrating Christmas Eve on December 24, this holy day marked the beginning of a particularly challenging period for many people in my area. At least seven times over the following two weeks, demonstrators obstructed a highway overpass causing backups on the busiest part of the 401 and causing blocked access at the 401 and Avenue Road overpass. Protesters waved flags and verbally harassed constituents with abhorrent anti-Semitic remarks. They shamefully targeted the large Jewish population in the area but impacted everyone. Thankfully, the police arrested those who continued to protest after warnings on January 9.

More recently, protesters assembled at Mount Sinai Hospital, which was founded by members of the Jewish community, and were chanting “intifada” and harassing and intimidating health care providers, patients and visitors alike.

Thanks to our democratic institutions and traditions, residents of our province enjoy many rights and freedoms. But our rights and freedoms are understood to be subject to the rights and freedoms of others. No one has the right to do whatever they want, wherever they want, no matter what the consequences are for others. That is not freedom.

Living together in a society requires fundamentally that we obey the laws, listen to police officers who are trying to maintain order and respect others who live in our society. Our rights and freedoms, our peace and prosperity and our democracy depend on it.